Sea Kayak Insurance^

[AllanC]

Can anyone recommend a company that provides comprehensive coverage so that my boat is covered during storage at my club, in transit or in use, via loss destruction or theft? There used to be someone that advertised in the back of the CKUK and Paddles, but I haven't seen them for sale for a while. I've had a google, but no one I've tried really knows what a sea kayak is. Thanks in advance,
Regards

Allan C

[MikeB]

Allan - talk to Carrick Neill, insuracne brokers in edinburgh - I have mine on my household contents cover which is with AXA. You're unlikley to get cover on the "on-line" sources I've found and the policy obtainable via a broker isn't always the same as the offerings from the on-line sources, even from AXA.

I don't have the contact details readily to hand, but they are a big operation so Google them. Come back to me if necessary for specific contacts there if necessary.

Regs, Mike.

[TechnoEngineer]

Doesn't the insurance that accompanies BCU membership provide adequate cover?

[SteveA]

These people claim to be approved by the BCU and give online quotes -

http://www.nwbrown.co.uk/insurance_brok ... _insurance

[MikeB]

Doesn't the insurance that accompanies BCU membership provide adequate cover?

That's civil liability cover.

[maryinoxford]

My folding kayak is insured with NW Brown. (I was impressed when they knew what a folding kayak was, and said that they insure several Feathercrafts.) I told them it would normally be kept in a boathouse, where I share space with other river users. The boathouse is locked when not in use, and I secure the kayak to its rack with a cycle-type security cable. They were happy with that, and have told me that it is covered for loss or damage in the boathouse.

[Mikebelluk]

NWBrown are good as you get a discount for 1st year if a BCU member.

Insuremyboat.co.uk came up with a good quote this year too.

As my new cedar strip boat is self built and valued at £3500 [ie similar value to the NDK Explorer CS featured in Ocean Paddler last year] I am now having a problem getting reasonable insurance for it, as nearly every policy requires a 'professionally' built craft.

I am hoping to have a chat with some people at the Anglesey Sea Symposium who may be prepared to provide some form of confirmation that what I have made is in fact seaworthy; if anyone can help me too I would be very grateful.

MB

[Peter M]

I don't have personal experience of them but this company seem to have a specialist policy.

[Scots_Charles_River]

NW Brown are new for old and that can't be bad.

Nick

[Anorak]

Re Peter M's post - if my experience with pet insurance is anything to go by I would NOT touch E&L with a bargepole! They look ok on paper, in real life dreadful company.

Caz

[rockhopper]

Having worked in insurance for the last 20 years I personally went with N W Brown and have found them to be very professional and knowledgable (although I have not had to claim).
E&L, I believe, used to be Entertainment and Leisure who have, in that guise, been around for some years however, personally I would not be overly keen to place my business with them......

Rog

[Peter M]

Re Peter M's post - if my experience with pet insurance is anything to go by I would NOT touch E&L with a bargepole! They look ok on paper, in real life dreadful company.
Caz

Having worked in insurance for the last 20 years I personally went with N W Brown and have found them to be very professional and knowledgable (although I have not had to claim).
E&L, I believe, used to be Entertainment and Leisure who have, in that guise, been around for some years however, personally I would not be overly keen to place my business with them......

Rog

I won't buy a policy from them then!

[TechnoEngineer]

Doesn't the insurance that accompanies BCU membership provide adequate cover?

That's civil liability cover.

I've just checked my details. The membership provides civil liability, but there's also optional boat insurance (e.g. "Explorer Plus").

[janet brown]

My household insurance company say that they cover my Tiderace sea kayak (for no extra cost) while stored at home, and while in transit on my car (locked onto roofrack if car is left unaccompanied), but not while in use!
If I lose it or break it: hard luck.
I must have a look at some more compehensive cover myself.

Janet

[geyrfugl]

I think the BCU optional boat insurance only covers a maximum of two boats and there's a limit to the value. So for someone with 18 boats at home including two double sea kayaks, and two strip-built, it's a bit of a joke. How do you value a strip-built boat anyway ? The materials maybe a couple of hundred pounds, but 280 hours of my time at a charge out rate of £90/hour? Insurers would just think you were taking the piss... and that's my "doing work I find rewarding" rate ... it goes up (a lot) for tedious paperwork and dealing with people on the phone :-)

[Mikebelluk]

I recently managed to insure my strip-build with NW Brown on an agreed value of £3500 for fire and theft.
I had to supply pictures of the boat, and its specifications, and also offered to take it to an agent/boatyard to be checked over if they wanted to verify its seaworthiness.
In the end it cost £135, which also includes cover for paddles and gear and my Aquanaut HV too.

[Boots]

£90 per hour? Plumber? :0)

[Ceegee]

£90 per hour? Plumber? :0)

Maybe? certainly not an economist! £90 x 280 hours = £25,200, less £4,500 to buy one of these http://www.seakayakservices.com/explorer-cs.html leaves twenty grand to go round the world in a classy boat on.

[Mikebelluk]

I'll make you one for £4000...!

[Helen Newseakayaker]

Hi, I've got an Alaw Bach on order and just got a really good quote from Noble Marine - £76! Fully comprehensive cover including transit and they don't specify how you have to secure the boat as long as you've made the effort. I've used them before to insure a sculling boat and although I never needed to make a claim myself I know others who have and found them to be efficient and helpful.

[Skua]

Folks try Towergate Mardon too. I haven't got full details, but they are a very reputable insurer/broker and have a very sensible kayak policy now - like sensible approach to surf v white water.

I had to do a feature on something which involved asking them about powerboats and it was mentioned in the conversation that they now offer comprehensive cover at set rates for set value, including low value rotomoulded things. They have seen the increase in popularity f sit-on-tops and so have drawn up a no frills, hidden clauses insurance policy to cater for kayaks up to £500, upto £1000, up to £1500 and I think £2000 - just going on memory here because I can't find where I jotted the notes down!

Worth checking.

[Skua]

Sorry about the vagueness of the above reply. I have since found my notes and can now give you a bit more detail:

Very simple, in bands according to value:

Explorer policy name - kayak value up to £500 £26 per annum.

Explorer+ policy poli - 3x kayaks up to £500 each (they recognise that quite a few folks have more than one, but will only use one at a time) £40

Elite policy - kayak to value of £1500...didn't write it down, so not got it!

Elite + 3x kayaks at £1500 each - £60.

Anything above that, individual quotes.

I haven't looked at the policy for detail. This is as much as I have. Worth looking into though if you are considering insuring your kayak. Towergate Mardon have been around insuring boats for years. NO, I have no connections - but these seem like very fair rates to me. If anyone knows of better, please tell me before I send my cheque in the wrong direction!

[Bod]

I've been plugging numbers into the NW Brown Website:

For Sea Kayak Value £2,400

Third Party, fire and theft (ie not in use) Standard (10% depreciation per annum to 50%) £35
As above but 'new for old' £53

Comprehensive (includes accidental cover in use) Standard £128.50
As above but new for old £191.50

I'm a big fan of self-insuring (being careful?) but the TPFT seems reasonable particularly as it does cover sea kayaks on roof racks.

[Twix]

Any more recent thoughts or reviews?

I am looking for cover that will include storage at the club.

Thanks